12 



th» Lukes, iH oval and ralh^r less tiian 109 miles in circnin- 

 ference. 'Vh« Bay of Quiiit« nmn parallel with Lake 

 Ontario 80 miles, and is sepiiratt'd from it by U»p Prince 

 Edward District. Ihe houudary, dividiiisj Canada from 

 the United States, runs llirough the ^rreai Lakes. 



The British Government has expt'nded a very large sum 

 upon the Rideati Canal, as much with the view oliinproving 

 the military defences of Canada as of benefititi^; its com- 

 merce, in which latter respect it has been of considerable 

 utility. The Welland Canal bus also become a well fre- 

 fjuented commercial channel, and is every day inrreasinu in 

 importance. 13y means of these Canals an uuinlerrupJed 

 line of steam communication is established between the 

 Atlantic and Aniherstbnroh, one of the remote settlements 

 of Upper Canada, a distance of more than 1500 miUs, 

 which we may soor« erpect to see extended to the liead 

 of Lake Hnron, and eventually to the Western extremity 

 of Lake Snpeiior, about 700 miles beyond Amherstburgh, 

 giving to Quebec aconnniitid of internal navigation inferioi 

 ordy to that of N< w Orleans. The Ridean Canal com- 

 mences at the ft>ot ofthe Chaudiore Falls, in the Ottawa 

 river, and ends at Kinfjston, on Lake Ontario, and by thn.s 

 connecting that liver with the St. Lawrence it aflords a jate, 

 easy, and expeditious communication between Kingston 

 and Montreal ; fiatural livers or lakes are in great part nia<le 

 use ol for this Canal. The exjvense to the iirifish (jrovern* 

 menthas been upwards of. CI ,000.000: the oiiojnd estimate 

 was £1(19,000. The Cniid is 1;J5 miles in length. Tho 

 tolls collected more lh;in pay the cost of its support. The 

 Welland Canal was (brmed to connect Lakes Erie and 

 Ontario, the navigation of which was rendered impassable 

 by the Falls of Niagara. It is 53 miles long, of which 

 about II) required excavation, the remainder being a 

 natural navigation of rivers and reservoirs. This Canal 

 was originuliy a private undertaking a-sistod by Loans from 

 Upper and Lower Canada. It has since been purchased 

 by the Colonial Government, who with the tissistance ofthe 

 British Government, are enlarging and completing it in a 

 ▼ery substantial manner. The tolls in a few years will 

 pay an interest of £5 or £t> per cent. The cost when 

 complete is estimated at £500,000. Twr» other very use- 

 ful Canals have been formed — the La Chine and the 

 Granville. The La Chine begins at Montreal, and extends 

 up the side of the Island until it gets to the still water at 

 the head of the rapids of La Chine : it cost about £120,000 

 which was defrayed by a Company of merchants, assisted 

 by the British Government. The Canal of Grenville is 

 aitout 40 miles from La Chine, at the rapids called Lang 



